Stellar has begun work on a $12.8-million expansion for Farbest Foods, Inc., a global supplier of raw, fresh and frozen turkey products. The project will expand the deboning room at the company's Huntingburg, Indiana, plant to streamline its deboning process and improve output.

Stellar, a fully integrated design, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm, is providing planning, design, pre-construction and construction services for the more than 22,000-square-foot expansion. The project is on track to be completed in July 2022.

"This new addition will enable Farbest to transition from manual turkey deboning to a more automated, machine-driven process," said Tyler Netting, the project's lead construction manager with Stellar. "We're building out the new refrigerated space and adjacent shipping docks, which will enable the owner to incorporate new equipment into the deboning room."

First built in 1969, and expanded in 1986, and again in 2008, the Farbest facility has presented unique challenges for the Stellar team. After considering various possibilities, Stellar’s project management team selected a solution involving fill and wick drains under the expansion site, which are designed to speed up the settlement process and reduce the risk of long-term settlement issues.

The turkey deboning room expansion is Stellar’s second and largest project with Farbest Foods. 

About Stellar
Stellar is a fully integrated design, engineering, construction, refrigeration and mechanical services firm serving commercial, industrial and public sector markets across the United States and around the world. More than 800 Stellar employees worldwide design, build and maintain award-winning food processing plants, refrigerated warehouses, distribution centers, commercial buildings and military facilities. In addition to its Jacksonville, Florida, headquarters, the company operates support locations and offices throughout the United States. Stellar also serves Central and South America, Europe and India.